Kevin Donnelly, chosen to review the national school curriculum, says many parents believe the sexual practices of gays, lesbians and transgender individuals are ''decidedly unnatural'' and has questioned whether students ought to learn about such relationships at school.

In a book he wrote in 2004, Mr Donnelly also seems to suggest that only heterosexual teachers have a right to teach students about sex.

The book, called Why Our Schools Are Failing, was commissioned by the Liberal Party-aligned Menzies Research Centre. Malcolm Turnbull, who was chairman of the centre at the time, wrote the foreword.

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Mr Donnelly uses the book to criticise aspects of state curriculum he believes have contributed to declining standards in literacy and numeracy in Australian schools. He lays much of the blame on ''political correctness'' and the ''left-wing academics, teacher unions and sympathetic governments'' that have conspired to infuse state curriculums with politically correct material.

He is also critical of the Australian Education Union for arguing that school students ought to be taught about non-heterosexual relationships and safe-sex practices ''in a positive way''.

Mr Donnelly wrote: ''The union argues that gays, lesbians and transgender individuals have a right to teach sex education … and that any treatment of sexual matters should be 'positive in its approach' and that school curricula should 'enhance understanding and acceptance of gay lesbian, bisexual and transgender people'.''

''Forgotten is that many parents would consider the sexual practices of gays, lesbians and transgender individuals decidedly unnatural and that such groups have a greater risk in terms of transmitting STDs and AIDS.''

Mr Donnelly was appointed to review the national curriculum by Education Minister Christopher Pyne.

Mr Pyne said he was certain Mr Donnelly would bring a ''balanced approach'' to the task, along with the other appointee, Queensland academic Ken Wiltshire.

Mr Donnelly was contacted by Fairfax Media but he did not wish to comment.

Opposition education spokeswoman Kate Ellis said Mr Donnelly's views were ''extremely offensive, dangerous and extreme'' and had ''absolutely no place in our schools''. A spokesman for Mr Pyne said Mr Donnelly and Mr Wiltshire had been ''specifically asked'' to ensure the curriculum was balanced and diverse.

Shelley Argent, from the support group Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, called Mr Donnelly's views ''ridiculous''.

''Children are not created or made or encouraged or recruited to be gay by learning about homosexuality in the classroom,'' she said.

NSW Teachers Federation president Maurie Mulheron said: ''You cringe at some of those statements … You can only assume Mr Pyne is being deliberately provocative.''